Skip to content

Wijbrand Schaap

Cultural journalist since 1996. Worked as theatre critic, columnist and reporter for Algemeen Dagblad, Utrechts Nieuwsblad, Rotterdams Dagblad, Parool and regional newspapers through Associated Press Services. Interviews for TheaterMaker, Theatererkrant Magazine, Ons Erfdeel, Boekman. Podcast maker, likes to experiment with new media. Culture Press is called the brainchild I gave birth to in 2009. Life partner of Suzanne Brink roommate of Edje, Fonzie and Rufus. Search and find me on Mastodon.

Dying drummer says it all in Tiago Rodrigues' Dans la Mesure de l'Impossible at the Holland Festival

Live music in the theatre, I long for it more and more. Performances in which actors are accompanied by a soundtrack, amplified with or without transmitter microphones, always only half captivate. You soon find yourself watching a kind of live performed film. But without the comfort of a cinema and the technical capabilities of the camera.... Sunday 9 June sat in... 

Music with balls for Beatrix at Holland Festival

Jazz-Rock, it still exists. In all those years of sitting in the theatre, reading books or listening to David Bowie or Rufus Wainwright, I had kind of forgotten about it. Music by real men, Heavy Metal for people who have studied for it, Gothic but with several conservatory degrees under their belt. Subtle chopping where the drummer's left hand is a 17/23rd... 

With Despois do Silencio, Christiane Jatahy commands deep respect at the Holland Festival

That's where Christiane Jatahy had me for a moment. When during her directed and devised story 'Despois do Silencio', one of the actresses falls into a Winti-like delirium, and her colleagues try to keep her from colliding unceremoniously with spectators in the front row, I briefly think it is real. That's how used to reality we are by now... 

Opening party Holland Festival drowns in Westergasfabriek

It was busy at Amsterdam's Westergas area, this Thursday, 6 June. Fantastic, of course, that not only do you have a couple of excellent running restaurants and clubs there, and the evening four-day march passes by while there is a big salsa party at the club near the world-famous Gashouder, but then it still feels a bit weird that the royal opening of the... 

Dutch Film Festival, BAK and Holland Opera among those duped: Utrecht advisory committee settles old scores

Utrecht was the first of the big cities to announce the opinions issued on cultural institutions' grant applications for the next four years. Large and well-known players like the Dutch Film Festival, visual arts institutions like BAK and IMPAKT and youth opera company Holland Opera saw their applications rejected, as did Het Huis Utrecht. At the same time, the advisory committee does recommend... 

Georgina Verbaan is let down hundreds of times by a different man each time during the final weekend of this Holland Festival. Photo Janiek Dam

The best chance of total bewilderment. Why you want to experience completely unknown performances at the Holland Festival.

There was a time, not so long ago, when the Holland Festival had a reputation for being elitist. The festival, which was founded in 1947 to get the culturally starved Netherlands back on track after World War II, had a bit of that about it because, for a long time, "being elitist" was also completely... 

advertisement against VAT increase. (This is placed by us for free, it has not been paid for by the campaign organisation)

Unique cooperation against VAT intentions. And now move on. 

The far-right coalition Schoof 1 has - even before there is a cabinet - created a first. Never before has there been such a wide protest against a proposed tax measure. An ad appeared in all daily newspapers against plans to increase VAT on sports, culture, events and media from 9% to 21%. So we take those here... 

PR image Margarida Constantino

At Delft Fringe, living rooms offer the lowest possible thresholds for up-and-coming talent 

Twenty years from now, I can say that I saw Daniëlle Deddens play once before she was a world star. It was on a somewhat chilly Saturday in June 2024 in the storage attic of an old mill in the centre of Delft. I was with about 20 other citizens of Delft, who had paid a few euros... 

Madety with MS Co-Pilot on the prompt: a fridge bursting at the seams

Bring in 953 million with a VAT increase on culture? Wilders' protocabinet certainly can't do maths.

The new far-right cabinet is not going to cut cultural subsidies, even though ending subsidies for art altogether was one of Wilders party's sacred points. That those subsidies are virtually untouched should really be the big news after the presentation of the agreement between PVV, VVD, BBB and NSC, on Thursday, 16 May. That was the news only... 

Kinan Abuakel at Podium Mozaïek photo by author

Boundless Roma pride makes opening Explorez Festival something not soon to be forgotten. 

Kinan Abuakel took his Syrian classical music with him when he fled the country. With his Saz, a Syrian stringed instrument similar to the Greek bouzouki, which in turn is derived from the Turkish Buzuk, he plays a mixture of new and classical Syrian music. I heard it by surprise at Amsterdam's Podium Mozaïek. That's how I discovered live what I... 

Scenefoto The Stone in my Mouth by Karin Jonkers

'The Stone in my Mouth' offers perfect combo of talents in staggering war story

Riet, Peer Wittenbols' mother, has been dead for a few years. She took a lot of stories with her in her grave from the time she was called Marietje. Playwright Peer Wittenbols sought out those stories, actress Juul Vrijdag tells them. And so, for an hour and a half, I experienced a small miracle, because Marietje was alive again. And so did Riet. It... 

scene image Hamlet by © Simon Gosselin

Timeless doubt in French Hamlet: 7 dilemmas for Christiane Jatahy.

To exist or not to exist, to be there or not to be there: the Hamlet adaptation to be seen during this Holland Festival puts the necessary spin on William Shakespeare's over-familiar 1602 play. Director Christiane Jatahy takes a female approach. Her Hamlet is not the young Danish prince who must avenge his father and has doubts. Shakespeare's Hamlet pretends to be... 

No more free tickets for journalists after personal attack. Rightful action or unwanted harassment?

 “Jazzenzo niet meer welkom bij podia en festivals”, stelt het online Jazz-magazine Jazzenzo. Aanleiding is een brief die het medium op 24 april ontving van het BIM-huis. In die brief, mede ondertekend door een indrukwekkend aantal prestigieuze podia en festivals als TivoliVredenburg en North Sea Jazz, laat het BIM-huis weten geen  vrijkaarten meer te verlenen aan de onbetaalde verslaggevers van… 

Created with DALL-E 3 at the prompt "Ravine year affecting the city of Utrecht"

Ravine year 2026: Utrecht shows what consequence austerity can have

We moeten het even over het Ravijnjaar hebben. In 2026 kort de overheid immers miljarden op het gemeentefonds. Tot nu toe was dat vrij abstract, want, zeg nou eerlijk: hebben we enig idee welk geld in jouw stad waar naartoe gaat en van wie het komt? De gemeentelijke uitgaven zijn een zwarte doos. Mijn stad heeft nu op een rijtje… 

Utrecht arts education embroiled in fighting divorce (Part 2)

The Utrecht School of Music, also known as DUMS, has decided not to apply for a subsidy from the municipality. In a letter the school sent at the beginning of April to consultation partners in the Utrecht amateur arts field, the management states: "Our teachers indicated at its foundation that they did not want to be subsidised in order to guarantee independence from the municipality. However, Cultural Affairs gave... 

Forever - Campaign image

The NUT explores 'the future of death' in 2024 with theatre productions on endings and eternity

Utrecht, februari 2024 – In 2024 maakt het NUT (Nieuw Utrechts Toneel) een familieproductie (6+), een locatieproductie met diner in Utrecht en (voor het eerst!) een tournee langs grote zalen in het hele land. Ieder jaar onderzoekt het NUT de toekomst van een bepaald thema. In 2023 was dit de ’toekomst van geld’ en in 2024 duiken we in de… 

Created with DALL-E via the prompt: 'A brave female knight fighting against diversity advocates in the form of dragons.'

The Free Left fights against code diversity without sound arguments.

Free art is in danger. At least that is what the Free Left Foundation claims. The article goes around persistently on facebook: "Unfree art is not really art at all." Actress Femke Lakerveld breaks a lance for the free arts in this interview with journalist Joep van Ruiten. The occasion is a manifestation in Groningen, which will feature a number of speakers on whether... 

Photo opportunity at the end of Delft Fringe's first 'Makers Day' on 8-2-2024. Photo by author

How Delft Fringe Festival is reaching audiences open to experimentation: 'Away with theatrical codes'

'What makes your performance unique? Why should people come and see you, what will they take home from it?' At the Delft Fringe Festival's first 'Makersdag', at the end of January, it's little about art, but a lot about speed dates, workshops in marketing, pitching and making flyers. The 30 or so makers present also get a lesson in handling theatre criticism from... 

still from the teaser for Stuntkont.

The best shit show in years comes from Rotterdam

It seems that at the inset performances of Maas Theatre&Dans' latest, 'Stuntkont', a few schools have already complained. Classes even walked out. Logical perhaps, at least for adult school teachers who can't take poop-and-pee jokes. Children from 6 to 106 can only laugh really hard at them. So poop-and-pee jokes turn out to be more amusing than I myself expected. At least when they are made... 

Floris Kortie on Podium Klassiek's new webpage

TV Sunday night is fun again for people who don't like farming and baking. 

Het oude domein van de VPRO, gevestigd in decennia van Nauwgezet en Wanhopig Simplisme, Tegenlicht en Zomer- dan wel Wintergasten, kwakkelde een hele tijd. Kijkcijferterreur versnipperde het veilig elitaire aanbod. BNNVARA zocht naar een toon en vond die niet. Culturele omnivoren als ondergetekende konden niet meer straffeloos de tv op 2 zetten om hem na een avond vol inhoud tegen… 

Jonas Staal (left) during his speech. Audience members from left to right: neske Beks, Charles Landvreugd and Karin Amatmoekrim. Photo: Wijbrand Schaap

Becoming a member of NSC? - Academy of Arts stage of desperate search for engagement

“De stem op Wilders is dan misschien een tegenstem, maar kennelijk is expliciet racisme geen dealbreaker voor al die mensen. Dat is voor iemand van kleur verschrikkelijk.” In het statige Trippenhuis, zetel van de Akademie van Kunsten, klonk dit hoge woord van Karin Amatmoekrim extra nadrukkelijk. Ze reageerde vanaf het podium op een laat binnengekomen toeschouwer, die vond dat ‘we’… 

Why the Culture Council's Design Thinking is going wrong

Het advies ‘Toegang tot Cultuur’ dat de Raad voor Cultuur vrijdag 25 januari 2024 presenteerde, doet nogal wat stof opwaaien. De nieuwsbrief die we erover schreven op Substack vond gretig aftrek, ook al werden daarin niet alle vragen gesteld, laat staan beantwoord, die het advies oproept. Omdat het met 230 pagina’s ook een nogal omvangrijk document is geworden, is het… 

Utrecht Arts Education embroiled in fighting divorce

It was a chilly Thursday evening before Christmas 2023 and a grim atmosphere hung in the wedding hall of the old Utrecht city hall. Where during the day countless Utrechters were saying yes to each other, two partners were now facing each other. They no longer looked at each other, each had gathered their own supporters. Angry words rang out from one, bewildered words from the other. Members... 

Edition: All Photography: Cees Elzenga/hetoog.nl CE20221018

Reisopera seeks new director. And an artistic colourist.

'Nina Hiddema and the supervisory board have concluded that this is a natural time for Nina to step down.' Nice sentence in the press release that appeared in the mailbox on 15 January. De Reisopera, the Enschede-based opera company that performs operas especially for everything outside Amsterdam and Maastricht, is bidding farewell to director Nina Hiddema after two years. Whether it... 

'Let's fill this town with artists', slogan on bookshop in Manchester. Photo by Wijbrand Schaap

New lesson from Manchester? 'Free the arts from colonisation by the middle class'

“Er leeft een angst onder de kunstzinnige middenklasse voor versimpeling, alsof mensen uit de arbeidersklasse niet slim genoeg zijn voor kunst. Ik vind dat echt beledigend. Mijn overgrootvader zou zich beledigd voelen.” Dit strijdbare citaat vond ik in The Mill, een uiterst succesvolle lokale nieuwssite voor de Greater Manchester Area, een soort Noord-Engelse Randstad met een paar miljoen inwoners. Het… 

Small Cultural Membership
175 / 12 Months
For turnover less than 250,000 per year.
Posting press releases yourself
Cultural Membership
360 / Year
For cultural organisations
Posting press releases yourself
Collaboration
Private Membership
50 / Year
For natural persons and self-employed persons.
Exclusive archives
Own mastodon account on our instance
en_GBEnglish (UK)